The present invention relates generally to raking mechanisms operable to work crop material lying on the ground and, more particularly, to a unitized raking apparatus that can be positionally adjusted to provide a number of operative functions.
Side delivery rakes have been utilized for many years to work crop material lying on the ground into a consolidated windrow for subsequent harvesting operation, such as baling. Various, hitching mechanisms, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,077,722 and in 3,568,423, have been developed to combine the operation of more than one side delivery rake in a variety of configurations, thereby providing multiple functions and broadening the amount of work done with each pass of the prime mover, i.e., tractor. A further development in raking mechanism involved the provision of a unitized rake in which two rake baskets are permanently and movably supported on the frame mechanism to permit a positioning of the rake baskets in a number of orientations, yet providing a transport position in which the rake baskets are carried in a minimal width orientation. Examples of such unitized rakes can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,142 and in the commercial embodiments manufactured by Vermeer Manufacturing Company as Model R-23 Twinrake and by the Allen Manufacturing Company as its Model 852 rake.
Such unitized raking mechanisms do not permit satisfactory operator convenience in the controlling of the multi-functions that can be achieved by the unitized rake, as well as conversion thereof between transport and operative positions. Furthermore, at least one of the known unitized rakes transversely slides the wheels of the implement when transversely adjusting the positions of the rake baskets. Accordingly, it was found to be desirable to provide a unitized rake implement that would provide greater operator convenience and greater efficiency when changing from field to transport positions, while providing a transport width narrower than the transport width of a single side delivery rake.